yes, i am not finding Christmas zen here

I can tell it is About That Time of the Month, because so far today, my irritation with the universe has reached New and Exciting Heights. So no surprise that a post to sf_drama has officially hit my point of no return.

And no, not the comm. The comments posted in an article in Tallahassee.com. The article?

Single Mother Struggles After Boyfriend Dies in a House Fire

The comments in the article are....

To say that these people lack the spirit of Christmas is like saying snow lacks the feeling of fire.

People suck.

Comments

[harriet-spy.livejournal.com]

Just about as bad is the comments to this article (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/12/19/girl_8_takes_up_pen_in_hope_of_presents_on_christmas/), which was actually posted as part of the Globe's holiday charity campaign!

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I am scared to even look. Stroking out before my grandmother's Christmas party is not on the agenda. *shudders*

[ladyholder.livejournal.com]

Trust me, there is at least one *big* grinch in that comment list. What an ass. Seriously.

~L

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, the combo of that article and the shitstorm in sf_d is giving me heart palpitations. People really, really suck.

I call that the phrase 'close your [adjective/expletive] legs' and any variation thereof be STRICKEN FROM ALL LANGUAGE.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Yes. Yes. This. *breathes*

[cereta.livejournal.com]

I was going to say, wow, it took the comm all of two comments to go there! Oy.

And if I NEVER HEAR THAT PHRASE AGAIN, it will be too soon. I actually saw it used in the comments on an essay by a man about having to make the heartbreaking choice to terminate a much-wanted pregnancy to save his wife's life. I swear, it's damn near Pavlovian with some people.

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't understand what's so hard to comprehend about life circumstances changing. I defy ANYONE to tell me they'd be prepared to be completely okay with no outside help whatsoever should their primary breadwinner of the household die in a fire (did the contents of the house burn, too?)! The woman wanted some presents for her kids and a blanket for herself, and all people can do is bitch about her having three kids at an unmarried age 20.

*STABBITY*

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

Wow... that was just beyond fucked up!!!

*slowly trying to lower bp*

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Good luck. I am staring calmly at pictures of cuddly animals. And imagining them showing teeth and attacking these people. It helps.

Bloodthirsty rabbit with fangs, ftw.

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

rotfl

ok, that made me happy :) thanks!!!

*also, petting pretty ben*

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

I am srsly going to adopt this tactic.

[brownbetty]

Holy fuck. I can't help thinking if the picture was of a nice blonde lady no one would be asking how dare she have three children with a man she (presumably) loved, or at least was fond of.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

There would be, but not as much as this poor woman's getting. Welfare wank crosses all lines. Adding in racism just makes it that much more exciting.

[dine.livejournal.com]

boy, it's disheartening when people insist on living down to my (very low) expectations. some of those commenters clearly have no heart

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Isn't that the truth. I imagine them in Church and wonder how they stand the hypocrisy.

[ladyholder.livejournal.com]

What a bunch of a**holes. Wow. I wish that mother all the luck in the world.

~L

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Yes, this.

[anjak-j.livejournal.com]

How dare people fall in love and have kids before they are of a reasonable age as determined by a bunch of hypocritical morons. It's showing up our schools and churches, yo...

*eyeroll*

This time of year doesn't remind me of goodwill towards all, more what cretins large chunks of society are. I just love the hypocrisy of people who have nothing to say but people like this woman should close their legs and not have so many kids and that it smacks of 'me me me' attitude. What, and bitching and whining about your taxpayer dollars been spent on people really in need doesn't smack of 'me me me' thinking?

[deadlychameleon.livejournal.com]

The implicit rascism makes me gag a little here. I mean, these kids lost their *dad*. Of course they're sad. The family lost probably over half its income. Of *course* they're having trouble making ends meet. It's been 9 months. That's not a huge amount of time to find another job, especially in this economy.

I have to say, the language they chose to use in the article isn't helping. Saying "boyfriend" is different than saying "single mother struggles after father of three dies in fire". Mentioning "trash bags" full of toys? Probably not optimal.

[wyoluvr.livejournal.com]

i'm really impressed by the commenters inability to seperate the two issues - people having children early and often and the social and economic issues that brings up AND people in need. i can express concern over the first issue without it preventing me from doing something about the second and good LORD those folks who commented need to be smacked. or maybe taught a hard lesson in things we don't need to share with the class.

[harriet-spy.livejournal.com]

Can I also suggest that the proper response when we encounter this kind of assholishness is to go and give a little extra to someone who is in a bad situation?

New York Times Neediest Cases Fund (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/newyorkandregion/neediestcases/index.html)

Boston Globe Santa (http://globesanta.org/)

Modest Needs (http://www.modestneeds.org)

[epj.livejournal.com]

I'm so with you. I mean, geez, the nerve of that mother, asking for clothes and shoes for her kids for Christmas! *rolls eyes out of head* Come ON, people!